Nintendo Switch: What We Know Versus Speculate

Will the NX be powerful enough for you?

So Nintendo has finally revealed what the NX was supposed to be, and it literally screams Nintendo in a nutshell. It’s different, but it’s all what we would come to expect from Nintendo. It’s a console, it’s a handheld and it is everything that company stands for. It has the ability to provide it’s own screen as well as be projected to a television as well as per regular with a console. So with all of this, what are some of the big takeaways from the reveal?

Third Party Support Is Back In Full Swing

Nintendo also revealed on Twitter a listing of all publishing partners who have committed to supporting games on the upcoming console device. Through this, we can definitely see that third party support is returning in a massive way with publishers: From Software, Bethesda and Take-Two Interactive. In the trailer itself, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is clearly visible as one of the games showcasing, which is an interesting choice as many have compared the upcoming Zelda game, Breath of the Wild, to the Bethesda title.

Depending on the power, it’s questionable if we will get to see massive releases of games like Grand Theft Auto V or the upcoming Red Dead Redemption 2 given that Take Two Interactive has pledged support? The video itself does showcase that the NBA2k series will make it’s appearance on the console. From Bethesda, as we stated we saw Skyrim as a playable title, and years ago Doom was a title on the Super Nintendo and even had a Doom 64. Could this open a door to seeing some of our favorite franchises reunited with Nintendo?

Nintendo Switch Is Being Powered By Nvidia

One area of concern for many is the power that will be part of the Nintendo Switch. We do know that the new console will be running on a custom Tegra chip by Nvidia. The Tegra chip is what Nvidia uses for their Shield console that streams games straight to the console without needing to download. However, some rumors were circulating that the Tegra X1 chip is only a placeholder chip and that the console will come equipped with the next Tegra X2 chip. Nvidia themselves claim the Tegra chip to be completely custom, possibly landing the power between the two.

Nearly two years ago we reported about the Tegra X1 when it was announced at CES in January of 2015. At the time it was dubbed as the most powerful mobile chip to date. It has the capability to process 4k video, mobily. With it being utilized in the upcoming Nintendo console, and custom built, there’s a good chance that the Switch will be more powerful than we know.

Nvidia’s current Tegra X1 Chip Map

Nvidia themselves blogged about the process of what they were doing in company with Nintendo while discussing the power that the Switch would be capable of.

The development encompassed 500 man-years of effort across every facet of creating a new gaming platform: algorithms, computer architecture, system design, system software, APIs, game engines and peripherals. They all had to be rethought and redesigned for Nintendo to deliver the best experience for gamers, whether they’re in the living room or on the move.

Essentially, Nvidia and Nintendo joined together to help create a console that will best optimize the custom chipset that was provided to help boost the visual and performance qualities of the Switch. This is a massive necessity for Nintendo to help get back the third party support that it once had a stranglehold on for years. It also is good to know that Nvidia was willing to assist Big N in it’s comeback efforts with such intricate customization. Of course the ultimate power of the console has yet to be revealed alongside the other specs to the system, but if we take Nvidia’s word for it, this is going to be a pretty powerful machine.

Nintendo Switch Is Cartridge Based But Will Not Play 3DS Cartridges

Rumors for months were pointing to Nintendo using cartridges for this console. At one point a patent revealed that they would be using them instead of the current disc format, however, it being Nintendo, we know how cryptic they can be. Probably one of the highest hopes of the Nintendo Switch was the potential of having backwards compatible games added. We do know that Nintendo plans to put it’s games on the 3DS-like cartridges for Switch, so it seemed like a match made in heaven to have the old handhelds library to be used on the new console-mobile hybrid.

In a way, this sours the idea of finally being able to play Pokemon on a console. If one were to be able to plug into the consoles with the 3DS cartridges, while not a full on console game, it would provide a bit of that void as we continue to hope that Nintendo changes their tone on Pokemon and console development.